The words hit me, and I performed a head and shoulder roll in theoh no, you didn’tmotion that would’ve made my sister Tessa proud. “Yours? I’m not a possession, Devlin. I’m not your freakin’ gun,” I snapped.
He sat back, his gaze turning thoughtful. “My gun? Why not?”
My mouth gaped open. “Excuse me?”
He partially lifted one powerful shoulder. “Well, you’re a lot like my gun. Sleek, smooth, and just right for my hand.”
Oh, for goodness’ sake. That should not have warmed my thighs. Before I could answer, he continued, “And you’re dangerous, deadly, and a straight shooter. Yep. Just like my gun.”
It was possible to feel two things at the same time. I both wanted to grin and toss my coffee at his head. “You’re going to have to get over this Neanderthal thing you have going on.”
“No.” He turned back to his pancakes.
My head full on jerked this time. “What?” It was a bit of a screech but not too bad.
His sigh was long suffering. “I get it. You’re smart, independent, and full of life. But you need to get it, too.” He chewed thoughtfully.
I paused, forgetting my sweetened coffee for a minute. This was unreal. “Get what?”
“Me.” His eyes this morning were a gunmetal blue with more than a hint of shadow. “While there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary, we’re not living in a rom-com, Angel. This is real life with bullets, explosions, and a possible stalker. I’m trained and you’re not. I’m a better shot and fighter than you are, although you have an impressive spirit and frightening intelligence. But I’m meaner and have no problem getting my hands bloody.” For Aiden, that was a freaking speech.
I couldn’t find an answer. What was the answer?
He tossed his napkin on his plate and stood. “I suggest you get rid of the idea that you have to handle danger by yourself in order to be a strong woman. You’re strong just sitting there. Don’t mess with me on this.” He stalked around my counter to the sink.
Mess with him?Mess with him? Since the day he’d rescued me when I was ten years old, I’d wanted to be the center of Aiden Devlin’s universe. Now finding myself there created warring factions inside me that were anything but comfortable. I liked that he wanted to protect me, but I didn’t like being told what to do. In fact, I felt a need to stand up for all of womankind against his attitude, even if it did kind of turn me on. I’d never claimed to be logical. “I don’t like your attitude.”
“Tough.” He finished washing off his plate and set it in the dishwasher.
I threw my napkin on the table, still off balance. “I think we’re about to have a fight.”
He turned and crossed his muscled arms, looking as formidable as the natural rock outcroppings on McInherney Hill, a hiking area around Lilac Lake. “Go for it.”
Sometimes I really did want to punch him in his junk. It was immature and would probably end badly for me, but the temper from my Irish and Italian blood often took over. Now was almost one of those times.
His eyes crinkled. “You want to kick me in the balls, don’t you?”
“Yes.” I stood and handed my dishes to him across the counter.
“You’ll regret that move, Annabella Fiona Albertini,” he drawled, accepting them and rinsing them off. It was rare that he used my full name, which was a nod to both sides of my heritage. “But you do what you gotta do.”
I straightened my pink sweater over black slacks above new traction bottomed but stylish boots. “I would, but the reading of the will is in an hour, and I have to get going.”
“I’m driving you,” he said, shutting the dishwasher.
“The hell you are,” I snapped, turning and moving for my laptop bag by the door.
His deep chuckle followed me.
Chapter 9
“We’re not finished with this fight,” I said, sliding from Aiden’s truck to the icy ground in front of the stately brick Timber City Gazette building.
“Okay,” he said agreeably, dark glasses shielding his eyes from the sun’s glare off sparkling snow.
I pressed my lips together and slung my bag over my shoulder. We’d argued, kind of, and then Aiden had assisted me to his truck in a way that I hadn’t touched the ground. Normally I didn’t mind if he carried me around, but this was getting out of hand. “You’re just going to wait out here?”
“No. I have some errands to run and will pick you up when you’re finished.” His dry tone held a hint of exasperation as if he’d possibly had enough of me for the morning.
